Pushing Boundaries
by xsimplysweetx
Summary: This was wrong, sleeping with your ex who was now remarried; Klaus knew better than this. But when it came down to it, they both knew it was wrong yet neither was strong enough to say 'no'. One-shot. Klaus x Annie with mentions of Raeger x Annie. Slightly revised.
_A/N: I was thinking about how I wish there could be divorce in Harvest Moon and then this story popped into mind._

 _Rated T for some sexual themes/material. Also adultery warning._

 _This is written primarily in Klaus POV._

 _Enjoy! I've never written for Klaus, nor Iris for that matter, before so I hope I did them justice._

 _Update: Ughhh, there is something wrong with this fic and I can't figure it out. Like, I feel like I can fix some stuff up and make it a lot better but I just can't seem put my finger on it. Help?_

* * *

Klaus and Annie knew they were wrong for each other; that's why they had divorced in the first place. For three years they had tried to delude themselves into thinking they could make it work until both came to the mutual conclusion there was no salvaging their failing marriage.

Their attempts of friendship were awkward and strained, so after only a few months of their divorce being finalized they had eventually drifted apart. For Klaus, he lived every day in a blur and focused primarily on his work. For Annie, after about five months, she began seeing Raeger.

Despite all the petty, resentful thoughts that would enter his mind after finding out about this, Klaus truly was happy for Annie. He knew Raeger was a good guy, and at least closer in age to her than he was. A four year age gap was easier to close than a twelve year one.

The perfumer had no desire to find love once more himself. There were times he ruminated the idea of getting together with Iris, but he ultimately knew that it would crash and burn harder than his marriage with Annie did. While the two were very similar, there was simply no romantic chemistry between them and he wasn't so desperate as to force it.

About a year passed when news spread throughout the town that Raeger and Annie were engaged and Klaus wasn't sure how to process this information. He didn't want to be bitter, but it hurt him that she was already getting married again after, what he deemed to be, a short time.

However, he would be flowing in hypocrisy to disapprove when he and Annie had gotten engaged after a mere eight months of being together. Maybe it was because he didn't want her to jump in too soon and make the same mistake as before, but deep down he knew it was because he was selfish and didn't want anybody else but himself to have her.

More months passed and the couple had their wedding. He didn't go, despite being invited which was something he had mixed feelings on to begin with. He was sure Annie had been hurt by this but he simply couldn't stand the idea of watching the woman he loved wed to another. This caused an even wider rift between the two and the only time they would ever see each other was a rare passing-by in town in which neither would acknowledge the other's presence.

It wasn't until the end of another year he properly saw her once again. During a chilly Winter evening, a rapping sound at his door caught the perfumer's attention. He opened it to find a shivering Annie with bright red cheeks and nose, holding a bottle of wine as frail snowflakes fell atop her trembling form.

"Annie," Klaus breathed out, his heart beating rapidly in his chest at the sight of his ex-wife after such a long time of being apart. It was a feeling akin to the first time she had the gall to shove a ring in his face and relentlessly demand that he go out with her, despite his halfhearted protests of age difference.

"Um, hi," Annie meekly responded, giving a little wave and looking too adorable for her own good.

Ambivalence overcame him as he contemplated what to do. For Annie to randomly show up at night after there being no contact between them for nearly a year was sending red flags, but he simply couldn't bear watching her stand out in the cold, snowy weather — or so he told himself that was the only reason.

"Where are my manners? Please do come in; you must be freezing out there." Klaus politely offered as he stepped aside, holding his hand out with a slight bow.

"Ever the gentleman, aren't you?" Annie teased as she entered his house and Klaus couldn't stop the smile that tugged at his lips.

"But of course. I'm far too set in my ways at this point of my life to change now." he joked merrily, closing the door behind her as he scrutinized the young farmer. She looked relatively the same as the last time he saw her, but something felt foreign as he watched her curiously examine his house. A new haircut? Different kerchief? He couldn't place his finger on it but something, even if insignificant, was off.

Despite being happy at seeing her, he was naturally suspicious. Clearing his throat, his tone was somewhat stern as he spoke up. "Pardon me if this comes across as rude, but might I inquire why you're here? It's not like you to show up out of the blue, especially after such a long time of not acquainting ourselves with one another. I can't help but be curious."

"O-Oh, yeah, that." Annie said, appearing rather shy as she fumbled with her words. It reminded him of how she was when they first met and, while as endearing as it was before, it inadvertently wounded him. To see firsthand just how distant they really had become was heartrending.

She quickly held out the bottle to him with shaky hands and he was positive it wasn't because of the cold this time. "Well, we got this as a wedding gift all that time ago and it's just been sitting there in our house ever since. Raeger hates mango wine so I know he doesn't want to even touch it. Then, I remembered how much you love it so thought that, instead of letting it go to waste, I should give it to you. I guess that sounds kinda lame, huh? Sorry!"

A warm sensation struck Klaus's chest, the fluttering butterflies in his stomach increasing but he attempted to shrug it off with a laugh as he took the wine from her. "What a lovely surprise this for me to receive. You have my gratitude, Annie."

Despite himself, his demeanor changed and he gazed at her with softened features. "However, you... remembered that I'm fond of it? After all this time? We rarely ever drank it together; it was merely something I had mentioned a handful of times."

"Of course I remember." Annie replied with such sincerity it made his heart skip, smiling at him so beautifully that the urge to scoop her up and kiss her senseless was becoming near overpowering. "Unless you preferred me to bring bouillabaisse instead?"

Klaus was having an excruciatingly difficult time concealing his happiness. He didn't want to appear too desperate to simply chat with his remarried ex-wife, so he did his best to remain cool.

"While it was your cooking that won me over, I'm just as grateful for this. I thank you." he jested with a chuckle, earning a small giggle from Annie and suddenly nostalgic memories of their marriage washed over him as he stared at the woman he still loved more than he wanted to admit.

This was dangerous to do, subtly flirting with Annie while knowing she was married, but he just couldn't help himself. To finally have her back in his presence was something he was not willing to give up so easily, even despite the possible stipulations. For the first time in years, he felt alive again and he greedily desired to keep this feeling for as long as he could.

"I, uh, guess I should be going now." Annie softly stated after a few seconds of silence, looking as if she had more to say but hesitating as she timidly fiddled with her fingers. Her head was kept down as she spun around on her heel to face the doorway.

His hand moved faster than his mind had time to process it as he gently grabbed onto her arm mid-spin, his tired eyes soft and his lips drawn into a warm smile as he gazed at her. "Please don't feel the need to be so hasty. We haven't spoken in such a long time and it would be a wasted opportunity to reacquaint ourselves if you left now. Besides, I really do need someone to assist me in drinking such a substantial amount of wine."

They were both aware of what his proposition really was and Klaus knew he was playing with fire now. It was just that Annie was so sporadic he wasn't sure when or if he would see her again, and he was so utterly desperate that he was ready to say anything just to keep her around him if just a little longer. It was a hazardous proposal, but he was a broken man without much more to lose.

Annie stared at him in complete shock, her mouth hanging open ever so slightly as she gaped at him with deer-in-headlights eyes. After the initial surprise subsided, she gave a small grin. "Well... I guess one drink wouldn't hurt."

And that was where everything went downhill, because one drink turned into two which turned into five and before they knew it they were going down a road in which they could never return from.

Neither could remember who had instigated it first, but all that mattered was it happened and the pair took turns dwelling in self-pity at what awful people they were for going through with such a sinful act.

They promised that it would never happen again, but never was a long time and it wasn't soon after they found themselves once again tangled in each other's limbs, passionately making love but this time without the help of alcohol. Ultimately, the conclusion was made that they'd already crossed the line of no return so why not, right? Of course this reasoning was flawed and didn't justify their adultery in the least bit, but when it came down to it, they both knew it was wrong and yet neither was strong enough to say 'no'.

* * *

Klaus had stopped going to the restaurant a quarter into his affair with Annie. Before, he was able to make small talk with Raeger about various subjects. The chef was a pleasant person to talk to; not too boring yet not too exciting, plus he was an exquisite cook. It was a nice way to pass time and have a great meal in the process. However, now every time the perfumer looked at him everything he hated about himself was brought to surface and it wasn't something actively sought out to experience.

Sometimes he wanted to confess every last sin he had committed to Raeger in order to cleanse himself of even the slightest bit of guilt that weighed down on him every passing day. Other times he wanted to barge into their house at night and take Annie right in front of him just to prove who it was she really loved.

Both of these were unacceptable options, so he had resolved to simply avoid the chef in order to quell these deafening thoughts. It was a cowardly approach and he was too old to be playing such puerile games, but then again sleeping with a married woman wasn't the epitome of maturity either.

The saddest part was just how head-over-heels in love with her Raeger was. He would see women flock to the restaurant nearly every time he ate there, flirting and swooning over the chef as if he was a celebrity. Despite all the female attention he would garner daily, Raeger would only brush off their advances with a polite smile and say he wasn't interested.

Not Annie, though. Everything was different with her and anybody with eyes could see it. He was clearly a man who could get any woman he wanted, but there was a certain charm Annie possessed — oh, how Klaus would be damned if he wasn't well aware of it — and she had managed to cast him under her bewitching spell. He always had a feeling there was something between the two, so it astonished Klaus that the farmer had gone for him instead of Raeger.

The last time Klaus had been in the restaurant was when he finally couldn't take it any longer. Raeger was always mindful not to mention Annie whenever the perfumer would visit, something he was very grateful for, but at the time he only happened to catch wind of it by chance.

Raeger and Fritz were having a discussion by the kitchen while Klaus sat in the far back corner, but unfortunately for him he was able to hear a majority of it. It wasn't anything too out there, but to hear Raeger actually gush about a woman — _his_ woman — with such sincerity and love plain in his voice made Klaus sick. Not just figuratively, but literally sick to where his stomach churned in the most horrible way and he could just barely taste the vomit sting at his throat as he bit back a gag.

He wasn't aware of just how disgusted with himself he was until that very moment, where hearing a man merely talk about his wife in a loving manner made him almost regurgitate his meal. Granted, he wasn't feeling too keen to begin with, but still.

"Klaus, are you alright?" Raeger had asked him, peering over to check on the perfumer with worry etched into his features. Apparently he wasn't as subtle as he thought he was, because almost every person in the restaurant was now looking at him.

"O-Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I must beg for your pardon, Raeger; it appears that my stomach is not agreeing with me." Klaus stammered out, speedily standing up and straightening out his cravat in a feeble attempt to regain some composure. "The meal was delicious, but I'm afraid I must be on my way. Have a good rest of your afternoon."

He didn't even bother hearing Raeger's response as he was already walking out of the restaurant posthaste. The hot gaze of everybody was almost too much for him to bear, the daunting feeling of everyone being able to see right through him plaguing the perfumer. While he knew it was ludicrous, paranoia had sunk in and he was irrationally terrified that they all knew his dirty secret.

After that he did his best to dodge Annie, coming to the decisive conclusion that he would break it off with her. Or so he thought until the time came and they were kissing and clawing at each other's clothing once more, having completely disregarded bringing up the subject. Then he came to another decisive conclusion that he was too weak-willed and would just avoid Raeger to alleviate some of the pain.

* * *

"I know what's going on, you know," Iris casually told him one morning as she sat his table, elegantly sipping her tea while Klaus gawked at her in pure bewilderment.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Between you and Annie." Iris replied simply, blowing on the steaming liquid as she drank more. "Mmm, you always make such delectable tea, Klaus. One day you'll have to give me your secret, hmhm."

Klaus's heart stopped for a brief second and he had to do everything in his power to keep his composure as he took a sip of tea himself. "I'm afraid I'm clueless as to what you're speaking of, Iris."

"Oh, please." she said with a subtle scoff, a faint smirk pulling on her plump lips. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak to me as if I'm a fool. While everybody else seems blissfully ignorant, I've known you far too long to be tricked."

"You seem rather indifferent to what it is you're implying you know." Klaus said with a wary frown, his eyes narrowing in a suspicious glower. Most people would come across more reprimanding or disapproving if they knew their friend was having an affair with a married woman, but then again Iris had always been an odd one.

"Indifference isn't quite the right word. I think 'delighted' is far more fitting." Iris hummed out in good-nature, brushing a strand of golden-yellow out of face as she plopped a few sugar cubes in her drink.

"I'm beginning to question whether or not we truly are speaking of the same subject." Klaus stated with a skeptical arch of his eyebrow, finding it hard to believe otherwise that she would be delighted by such news.

"The passionate affair occurring between Annie and yourself, right?" Iris queried though it was clear she already knew the answer, setting down the teacup delicately as she rested her elbows on the tabletop and entwined her fingers together. She set her chin on top of them, her amethyst orbs glittering with mischief as she gazed at him. "I assumed that was the topic we were on."

"And you're not appalled in the least bit by this?" Klaus slowly asked, a little paranoid as he thought it over. His closest friend was gleefully stating she knew he was sleeping with a taken woman and not even questioning his morality in the least bit? Something was definitely strange here.

"Quite the contrary, actually. I simply see it as you reclaiming what was rightfully yours to begin with, and vice versa." Iris responded nonchalantly, breezily waving it off as if it was nothing. Yes, she was far too similar to him for his own good; so much it was almost unsettling.

"You only say that because you have have a bias towards me. If it was anyone else I doubt you would be so approving." Klaus bluntly said, unsure of how to feel about Iris's support of his adulterous actions. He was appreciative to not be scolded or looked down upon with contempt by one of his oldest friends in this town, but at the same time he had been hoping that somebody would finally be rational and smack some sense into him.

"Mm, perhaps that's true." the novelist took this into consideration, playfully tapping her index finger against her chin as she stared up to the ceiling. "Maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic, thrilled to see two people who were previously married rekindle their love. Or perhaps it fills me with joy seeing my dearest friend once again happy after seeing him depressed for so very long."

A devious smile appeared on her face as her eyes rolled back down to him. "Besides, this has been perfect inspiration for my newest novel. I had been in such a rut for the longest time but now the words seem to simply be flowing from my fingers. My agent will be ecstatic once he sees what I've written."

Klaus lowly groaned in annoyance because, honestly, he should have seen this coming. While fundamentally a good person, Iris always seemed to have an ulterior motive and it was a source of endless vexation for him. She and her brother had a bad habit of treating people's feelings like playthings.

"Romanticizing adultery is not the proper way to make a best-selling novel." Klaus commented with venom laced in his voice though he was already aware of the inaccuracy of his statement. He just felt the overbearing urge to go against her in some manner.

"Then clearly don't know the first thing about them." Iris laughed lightheartedly, though he couldn't shake the hint of condescension behind her tone. "Do you honestly not see the appeal behind it? A man and woman once married, now divorced but unable to contain their feelings for each other so they secretly begin an affair despite her being remarried. Ahh, what a thrill! Forbidden love is a universally-adored concept, you know."

"I suppose I'll just never understand novels." the perfumer mused with a defeated sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I just wished you would have been the voice of reason since evidently neither Annie and I were going to be. It's a tad bit dejecting, if I'm to be honest."

"My primary question is why you and Annie don't actually get back together, seeing as you both obviously want it." Iris spoke in a more serious tone, her expression dropping all previous humor and that piercing gaze of hers boring a hole into his own. "You know that somebody, if not all of you, will get hurt in the end and Raeger is the most innocent in all of this. Why not come clean now instead of having him find out some other way later? Regardless he will be heartbroken, so spare the poor man and lessen the blow."

"It's not as simple as you make it out to be, Iris." Klaus responded snappily, finding himself now getting irritated at her intervening. He wanted her to tell him he was wrong and a bad person so some sensibility would be returned, not to be pushed closer to his ex. "You do know she's married, right? To somebody who is not me? I cannot ask her to throw away everything to be with the man who didn't work out the first time. This isn't one of your stories, Iris; this is actuality."

"Have you ever considered that you're complicating it far more than is needed?" Iris huffed back with a searing glare, becoming irascible herself at his steadily-increasing aggression towards her. "You won't be able to pull the wool over everybody's eyes forever and I know you know this. You're just gratuitously torturing yourself because you don't believe you deserve any better."

While unintentional, this statement amused Klaus and subconsciously he let out a chuckle. "I suppose I can't deny this assertion. Perhaps I'm more of a masochist than I thought myself to be."

"Oh, Klaus. There are some things about you I will never understand." Iris sighed in conclusive defeat, leaning back in her chair as she rubbed her temples. While it didn't happen often, the rare moments when they did butt heads could get very heated and he was eternally grateful it didn't escalate to such an extent this time.

"It's better that way; there's plenty about me that you shouldn't know." the perfumer quickly retaliated, sparing no obscurity. "Now, may I be so bold as to suggest a change in topic? I'd rather not discuss my intimate life any further."

"Fine, have it your way; live in denial and delay the inevitable. Just don't say I didn't try to help." Iris calmly snapped back, resuming her drinking of tea as she began aimlessly bringing up other topics.

That was the thing that irritated him most about Iris: when she was right.

* * *

"Raeger wants to have children." Annie brought up one morning as she sat on the edge of his bed, fully clothed for once as he sat at his desk while working on his research. "He's talked about it here and there before, but lately he's been really sticking to it."

"... Oh." was all Klaus was capable of uttering, still intently focusing on the small letters of his notes as he jotted down some more. "Are you considering his proposition?"

"I-I don't know. Maybe?" Annie apprehensively answered, striking a nerve within the perfumer.

"Hmm. When we were married you were adamantly against the idea of children," Klaus remarked in feigned poise, the grip on his pen gradually tightening as he continued. "Has something changed your mind?"

"I mean, I don't know, now it doesn't seem so terrible. I'm not getting any younger, you know." Annie gave a forced laugh, hoping to get at least a smile from Klaus but to not avail.

"Or perhaps it's because it's not me you'll be conceiving with." he bluntly stated in a mumble, still refusing to look at her as the pressure of his pen increased and was dangerously close to tearing into the paper.

"That's not what I was saying." she defensively retaliated, brows knitting into a light scowl as she subtly glared at him.

"Oh, is that so?" Klaus levelly shot back, finally turning around to face his ex with a feigned indifference. "I just can't imagine why suddenly now you're okay with having kids because when _I_ was your husband and every time _I_ brought up the idea you rejected it until I had no choice but to relent. Yet now, when you're with Raeger having children isn't so repulsive to you. What else should I think?"

"I was nineteen when I married you, Klaus!" Annie shouted back in frustration, jumping up from the bed to glower him down with balled fists at her sides. "I was scared of giving birth and being a mom back then, okay? But now I'm almost twenty five — forgive me for maturing a bit! Is that a crime?"

"No, it's not. However, please do elaborate just what it was you were trying to accomplish by telling me this aside from instigating an argument." Klaus challenged with a darkened expression, boldly glaring back at her with no intent to back down.

"Because I... I..." Annie weakly exclaimed, the anger fading as her shoulders drooped and her face became crestfallen. Tears welled in her eyes and her breathing increased as she tried to come up with a coherent sentence but all that came out was quiet sobs.

"Oh, Annie," Klaus said softly as he stood up from his chair and enveloped her small frame into his arms, hushing her as he comfortingly stroked her hair while she cried into his chest.

"Klaus, oh my Goddess, what have we doing? How could we? How could _I?_ " the farmer wailed, her voice slightly muffled as she buried her face deeper into his shirt and her arms tightened around his waist. Seeing her in so much agony saddened him more than anything.

"Shh, Annie, please calm down." Klaus whispered in a soothing tone, holding her closer to him. "Don't be so harsh on yourself. This all my fault and I will fully well accept responsibility. I'm old enough to know better than this, but you're still young; you didn't know any better."

At that instance the sobbing stopped and Annie became deathly still, untangling herself from his body to stare up at him with a mixture of incredulity and indignation. The puffy, red eyes and tear-stained cheeks made it a little harder to take seriously, but he could still feel the raw animosity oozing off of her.

"What?" Klaus blinked, oblivious as he felt a chill run up his spine.

"No," she very brusquely stated, stepping away from as she shook her head. "Nuh-uh, no, you did _not_."

"What did I do?" he asked, still helplessly confused at to what he did wrong.

"You... ugh, whatever. It's nothing." Annie stopped short, pinching the bridge of her nose with closed eyes.

This time it was Klaus's turn to get irked, a loud groan of irritation escaping his mouth as he ran his digits through the raven locks upon his head. "That has always been your issue, Annie. Instead of striving to communicate with me like a mature adult, you'd rather bottle it up and passive-aggressively stew about it like a child."

"See? That! That right there!" Annie hollered back, pointing an accusing finger at him. "How do you expect me to want to communicate with you when you talk down to me in such a patronizing way? Instead of speaking to me as if I'm your partner, you'd rather chastise me like I'm a kid. I swear, at times it felt like I was your daughter rather than your wife!"

This struck another nerve within Klaus and he could feel his anger steadily rising as he took a deep breath before exhaling heavily. "I warned you numerous times of what you were getting into by pursuing a relationship with one who is so much older than you, yet you claimed to be okay with. I always knew you were disturbed by our age gap and that's fine, but I wish you would have been more honest about it."

"Oh, my Goddess! That's not even what I was trying to say!" Annie yelled in exasperation, getting closer to him and jabbing her finger at his chest. "Newsflash, Klaus: you were literally the _only_ one in the entire town who had a problem with our age difference. I know that's just _so_ hard for you to believe, but it's true. I swear, your insecurities drive me up the absolute wall! I can't stand your low self-esteem!"

" _My_ insecurities? _My_ low self-esteem? Ah, yes, because you're completely innocent in that regard," Klaus scoffed, glaring her down with crossed arms and an accusing glint in his eyes. "Every time you'd see Iris and me together, no matter what the situation actually was, you'd become irrationally jealous. You would think you had caught us in a compromising position with how you'd react!"

"Of course I was jealous!" she replied with blatant hostility, her tiny form quivering with fury. "She's gorgeous, she's smart, she's sophisticated, she's closer to your age which _obviously_ is more preferable for you, and you two are so close and so alike! Mix that with all the gossip around town and I got paranoid, okay? How could I not be?"

"Because I've never loved her like that!" Klaus yelled at her, finally losing his cool as his voice became louder and the aggravation escalated. "I don't care how perfect you and everyone else thought she was for me! I've always loved you and evidently I still do! Trust me, I wish I could stop but I just _can't_."

"Well, you and me both!" Annie screamed, the fight finally dying down as the two just stood there in complete silence.

"What are we doing, Klaus?" Annie questioned, walking back over to the bed and plopping herself down on it lifelessly.

"The very same thing that drove us apart to begin with," Klaus answered despite knowing the rhetorical nature of the question, taking a seat next to as while staring ahead at nothing in particular. They stayed in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Annie finally decided to break it.

"Klaus, I love you — oh Goddess, I love you so much — and I have for as long as I can remember, but I can't do this anymore," Annie said in utter defeat, adverting her gaze from him. "I can't believe myself. I'm married to the most wonderful, sweetest guy ever who should be perfect for me, and yet here I am, still pathetically in love with my ex-husband to the point where I've been seeing him for the past half a year while my current husband is totally oblivious. What's wrong with me?"

"We have to stop this. It should have never started to begin with, but I was stupid and clinging to what we once had. My judgement has been clouded for so long, but it's like I'm finally sobering up and seeing things for how they really are." Annie told him, clarity shining clearly in her hazel hues as she stared at him with the most serious countenance she could muster.

"So, you're officially breaking up with me, correct?" Klaus inquired, looking directly back at her with a straight face even though inside he felt himself crumbling into pieces. He wouldn't allow his own selfishness to negatively influence her again, so he tried his best to stay unwavering and strong for her even when all he felt like doing was breaking down.

She hesitated. "Yes, I am."

Klaus let out the breath he had apparently been holding, his eyes becoming hazy as he smiled sadly at her. "Yes, that is a wise decision. Truth be told, I'm relieved to hear you say it. Not because I no longer want you, but because I want you so much I do atrocious things just to get you. I want you so badly that all self-control and rational thoughts are lost, but this is wrong of me and I cannot continue turning a blind eye to it. I need to stop living in my own fantasy world and resume living in reality."

Annie only nodded and gave a dreary sigh, leaning her body forward as she rubbed her watery eyes. Despite her efforts, tears streamed down her cheeks and her body trembled with sobs.

"Please don't cry any further, Annie. You know I never could handle seeing tears sully your lovely face." the perfumer wrapped his arm around her shoulder, bringing her to his side as he hugged her and placed a tender kiss on top of her head.

"It's just hard to finally accept this, you know?" she said after calming down, resting her head on his shoulder. "I thought once I began dating Raeger, I really was over you. I thought that when we got married everything would be good and I'd live a nice, happy life with him. Yet after our wedding all I could think of was you, and that's when I visited your house that night with that lame excuse about wine because I just couldn't get you out of my mind. But now... now I've got to really, truly accept that it's over between us."

"I don't think I'll ever be able to stop loving you Klaus. If that was true, I wouldn't have risked everything just to be with you. But I also love Raeger and I have to finally let go of you. It's just not fair to anyone."

"I agree, we need to stop pretending as if this sort of behavior is acceptable. We should have realized it was over as soon as we divorced." Klaus replied, cupping her chin to look her directly the eyes. "I love you too, Annie. I know I'll never stop, but we must put an end to this for once and all."

"You're right. I guess I'll tell Raeger tomorrow." Annie covered her hands over her face, shaking her head. "Oh, he's going to be devastated. He comes from a divorced family, so this is just gonna tear him apart and he'll leave me, I'm sure of it."

"Do you want that?"

As if an epiphany just washed over her, Annie slowly shook her head with widened eyes. "...No, I don't. I want to stay with Raeger and have a family with him. I don't want to lose him. Goddess, I'm so sorry, Klaus... I really am a terrible person, aren't I?"

"No, you're not a terrible person; you're young and confused. While your actions were unethical, that does not inherently make you bad." Klaus patted her head. "There's still time for redemption. If you truly do love him, do what is right finally and work things through with him. Don't let it die like ours did."

"Getting marriage advice from my ex-husband who I was cheating with. There must be some sort of irony in there." Annie laughed in a lackluster manner, wiping her eyes as she rose from the bed.

"I should be going home now. I've got to mentally prepare myself for probably the hardest talk I'll ever have." Annie offered him a wave as she made her way to the door. "Goodbye, Klaus."

Klaus didn't look at her. "Goodbye, Annie."

* * *

"So, it really is over between you two, huh?" Iris asked him the first week after he and Annie had cut off connections, and a few days after his encounter with Raeger. They were chatting in the Antique store like usual and he had just explained the situation to her after being prodded incessantly about why he seemed so down. " _And_ Raeger felt sorry for you rather than hate you? Didn't even scream at you once? That's quite the slap in the face."

"Yes, to all of it." Klaus replied, too listless to put forth any energy into the conversation. For him, it was just reopening old wounds and he had no desire to relive the pain when it had just barely starting healing.

"What a pity," Iris sighed, placing the palm of her hand against her cheek with a genuine frown. "Here I was hoping you two would end up together, but I suppose that's idealistic thinking on my part."

"I'm not sure why you were so determined for us to be together again in the first place." he said tersely.

To his shock, Iris smiled widely and gave an uncharacteristic giggle. "It's simple, really. I've loved you two as a couple ever since the first day I noticed you had feelings for her, even if you weren't fully aware of it yourself. Then, I remembered fond times such as when Annie would ask me in secret what items you liked and how she could make you like her back, or how when she would walk into your house as we were talking, seeing that lingering gaze filled with affection of yours as you watched her leave would make my heart swell."

"That's how I knew you two were back together in some way, you know," the novelist declared with pride, folding her hands on her lap. "I hadn't seen either of you so happy ever since you split up. I know times were hard for the both of you and I suppose I never really saw the brunt of it, but for me all I ever saw was the love that radiated off of you whenever you were in each other's company."

"Wait, you didn't actually have solid evidence we were having an affair? You merely guessed?" Klaus incredulously questioned, unsure whether to be mad at or entertained by this revelation.

"It was women's intuition." Iris announced matter-of-factly though her usual playfulness was present.

"That was a rather treacherous thing to do, Iris; making baseless accusations about such a subject." Klaus told her though there was no enmity behind his words. Iris never ceased to amaze him and it was something he liked about her.

"It was a _very_ strong intuition."

"And had you been wrong?"

"But I wasn't, now was I?"

"Hah, I guess you've got me." Klaus relented against her, knowing he wouldn't get a conclusive answer from her. He smiled whimsically at her as he sighed. "Oh, Iris. Why couldn't I have fallen in love with you instead? Everybody in town seems to think we are perfect for each other, and it would have been far easier for all of us in the long run."

"Because there was never anything between us and you know this just as well as I do." Iris told him in a chiding tone. "Now Annie and you — that was pure love from the moment it started. Not even fairy tales could compete with it."

Iris pushed back a thick strand of blonde behind her ear, sighing somberly. "Still, I am very dejected by this news. I was truly hoping that it would work out for you, wishfully thinking that true love conquers all. However, in the end, there is a reason it's a trope and nothing more."

"Life is not quite the same as stories, is it?" Klaus jested, receiving a grin from the woman before him.

"You're right; fiction is _much_ better than reality. I'd much rather live in a quixotic world I've created than the cold, harshness of reality." Iris cheekily replied, momentarily snickering at her own joke. "So, do you think you'll ever find another?"

"No, and I have no intentions to, either. Love is a young man's game and I'm afraid I'm far past my expiration date to partake in any such tomfoolery." Klaus answered with an indolent flick of his hand.

"You declared the same thing when you first pursued Annie." the novelist proclaimed.

"True, but even then I was younger despite still being old. At the age of thirty six I cannot imagine any attempts of courting women would successful for me." Klaus told her in feigned lightheartedness, cupping his chin as he pondered. "Besides, I have no want to find a new love interest. There will never again be one like Annie. Of all the significant others I've had, I was never so deeply and so foolishly in love as I was with her."

"It's not fair," Iris huffed with a slight pout, coming across more childish than he was accustomed to with her. "You two are in love with each other; you should be together. It's as clear cut as that."

"Oh, Iris, naivete such as that doesn't suit a woman like yourself. I can see now you really are a hopeless romantic." Klaus teased her in a jocular manner before checking his pocket watch, shutting the trinket as he stood up. "It looks like I should be heading out now. As always, it was lovely talking to you, Iris. Have a good day."

As the perfumer turned around to leave, he was stopped when he felt a hand graze her forearm. Looking over, he saw Iris wearing one of the most lugubrious expressions he had ever seen cross her face. "Klaus, are you going to be okay? Honestly?"

Klaus exhaled quietly, taking her hand into his own and briefly patting it as he put on his best happy face. "Please do not fret about me, Iris. I lived through this ordeal once, I can certainly manage again. I know it doesn't appear it, but I am tougher than you think."

"Even the toughest men have their breaking points." she solemnly stated, placing her other hand atop Klaus's as she pierced directly into his eyes. "Don't do anything rash or witless, do you hear me?"

"I can't imagine what ever it could be you're getting at."

"Promise me, Klaus."

"But I..."

" _Promise me._ "

"Alright, alright, I yield." he slipped his hand out from hers and held both of them up defensively. "I promise not to do anything rash or witless. Are you satisfied now?"

"Barely, but it'll suffice." Iris said with a little smirk at the corner of her lips, standing up and brushing herself off as she walked over to her desk. "I really should be getting back to work myself."

"Still in the works of that novel about me? Perhaps I should sue for copyright," Klaus flippantly commented, but was taken aback to see Iris's body stiffen and her head hang low.

"Ah, no. I have scrapped the novel as a whole." she replied, sitting down at her desk as concentrated on her typewriter. "It ultimately didn't feel right. I just couldn't get into it, is all. I will come up with something far better."

Klaus could tell what she was getting at and he nodded at her. "Thank you."

As he walked over to the stairway, Klaus stopped abruptly and peered his head over to her. "If you still have a copy, I would love to read it sometime. It'd be nice to see what it could have been like if things worked out happily ever after for me. There is one thing you're right about: fiction is better than reality."

* * *

 _A/N: So, apparently I had posted this and for whatever reason, a huge chunk of the ending was cut off! It was so late at night I didn't even notice._ _Ugh, I really need to pay better attention._

 _Anyways, I hope you liked it. More or less likely there was OOCness, so I hope I did okay._


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